Party preparations in full swing

Senior activists of India Against Corruption (IAC), Pune, are upbeat about the formation of the new party by former Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal, and have also send two suggestions towards the drafting of the party manifesto.

Kejriwal’s supporters from the city are geared up and have started preliminary preparations for his new party’s agenda, and have already convened three meetings at Pune, Nashik and Aurangabad to discuss the scope of the new party in the state. A final meeting is scheduled to take place tomorrow at Nagpur.

Damning graft: In the backdrop of corruption charges levelled against Union Law minister Salman Khurshid by Arvind Kejriwal, IAC activists agitated at the Mahatma Gandhi statue at Pune railway station yesterday

Suresh Ware, from S M Joshi Socialist Foundation, Pune, said, “We are expecting Kejriwal and Yogendra Yadav to come to the city in December, after the establishment of the new party. Actually, our forum is in favour of Kejriwal and his new political party. To decide the basic work and scope, we have conducted three meetings in Pune, Aurangabad and Nashik on October 10, 11 and 12 respectively. The party’s basic line of action will be decided on October 16 at Nagpur. We had also sent two suggestions to the manifesto for the new party, which were accepted by Kejriwal.”

IAC activists Nana Patil, Roopesh Badre-Patil, R R Phondage and also differently-abled activists Gaurav Dhuri and Sadab Rangrej were also present at the stir. Maruthi Bhapkar, former corporator from Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, said, “I’m involved in the formation of Kejriwal’s party from the very beginning. The new political dimensions will certainly bring a sea of change to the existing corruption rampant in politics and the bureaucracy. I have been working with Anna Hazare for the past two decades, but I believe Kejriwal’s way to fight corruption by the means of elections is an apt way.”

Neeta Parekh, IAC activist, said, “I don’t agree with the Hazare’s way of only creating awareness among citizens about corruption. I think Kejriwal’s way to fight the present dirty politics by forming a new political party and fighting elections the best way forward.

Anup Avasthi, from the National RTI forum, however, advocated Hazare’s path of making basic reforms in the electoral process rather than fighting elections. He said, “I support Kejriwal as his allegations on Khurshid are convincing, but not his decision to form a party and fight elections.”

Deepak Bharadia, Coordinator IAC, Pune, said, “My personal stand is to agitate and make people aware against corruption. I am waiting for the party’s manifesto, and then the decision will be finalised.”

IAC Pune’s suggestion>> Make the new party federal and provide ‘associate membership’ for agitating groups working for the rights of Adivasi, farm labourers and fishermen in the state.>> Include the issues of farmers’ suicide, social security act for unorganised labour and anti-cast, creed and religion agitation in the manifesto with the prime issue of growing level of corruption.